Sound & Vision Top Picks for the month of May include a high-performance 4K Blu-ray player that will delight AV enthusiasts, home theater speakers that deliver strikingly good sound for a reasonable price, and a set of powered bookshelf speakers that puts today’s smart speakers to shame. Rounding things out are two topnotch audio components — a surround processor/preamp from a venerable audio brand and an integrated amp/DAC from a lesser known company that has been favored by in-the-know audiophiles for years.
Who know Ground Hog Day could last so long? Though not gone, the fear-inducing COVID-19 virus is loosening its grip on society, allowing Americans to finally start getting back to (or at least anticipate) something resembling normal life. For many of us, the return to normalcy means revisiting home entertainment aspirations with renewed vigor. To help with that quest, we present the latest round of Sound & Vision Top Picks — an eclectic ensemble that runs the gamut from a forward-looking AV receiver to an ingenious accessory that makes mounting a TV over your fireplace practical.
As a pandemic-free summer beckons, we look back at the unique collection of products we had the pleasure of evaluating in May. From a dynamic duo of subwoofers that deliver impressive performance and unparalleled setup flexibility for $600 or less to what may be the world’s first “smart” ceiling-mount video projector, we present our latest Top Picks in the hopes that at least one of them will inspire you.
Ready for a subwoofer that can play very low and very loud in very large spaces? Or how about a versatile set of headphones that put excellent noise cancellation and sound expanding spatial processing at your fingertips as you look ahead to that awesome summer vacation you just locked down? Both made our Top Picks list in May along with an affordable smart projector that will take movie time to the next level and a trio of high-end speakers from a brand you never heard of that will leave you speechless.
Beyond an abundance of turkey and great Black Friday deals, the month of November produced a handful of Sound & Vision Top Picks, starting with two state-of-the-art audio components — one a processor for home theater enthusiasts in search of the very best surround sound has to offer, the other a high-performance integrated amp that will leave audiophiles drooling. From there, we move on to audiophile-caliber headphones that can be had for far less than you might expect and Sony’s latest and most affordable take on native 4K video projection.
November may be gone but it has left us with a bevy of holiday deals to consider as well as a handful of new Top Picks to ponder, including a surprising entry in the world of 4K TV and two products that have serious gift potential.
As pandemic panic sweeps across the nation, we look for inspiration from the approaching Winter Solstice and ever-resilient holiday spirit. In recent weeks we found some in a handful of exemplary A/V products, including one that puts your father’s video projection system on a bold new path. All are certified Sound & Vision Top Picks and all are ready to ignite your imagination. Here’s to making the best of a trying situation with hopes for smaller yet meaningful gatherings with family and friends on this national holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!
Okay, it’s time to take a break from shopping those Black Friday deals popping up everywhere and check out Sound & Vision’s Top Picks for November. You won’t be disappointed.
The Halloween ghouls and goblins are gone but they left behind a delightfully eclectic mix of road-tested AV gear to ponder, ranging from an amazingly versatile amp/DAC to a 65-inch TV that will make you rethink what you should pay for a top performing 4K set. In between we had the pleasure of reviewing a new top-line TV from Sony and two stellar home theater speaker systems — one a reference-quality setup from a respected name in audio, the other a unique system from a company you’ve probably never heard of.
In the spirit of Halloween, we’re excited to share the scary good lineup of AV gear we reviewed in October. Whether you’re looking to squeeze every last drop of performance out of a hi-res-streaming setup, find wireless headphones that don’t need to be recharged every few hours, or on the hunt for speakers that will make the hair on your neck stand up, we’ve got you covered.
Three of the five audio products that achieved Sound & Vision’s Top Pick status in September prove that you don’t have to empty your wallet to get great performance. Among them is a soundbar that earned our new Top Value designation for combining an impressive set of features with authoritative sound at a price that’s hard to believe. At the other end of the spectrum is a reference-grade 4K Blu-ray player and a power amplifier reserved for listeners who will settle for nothing less than the best. When you’re finished here, be sure to visit our Top Picks page for more recommendations.
Summer is gone so it’s time to take stock and make sure you have the AV essentials you’re going to need to get through the fall and winter months. Sound & Vision’s September list of Top Picks is the perfect place to start with a top-line 4K Blu-ray player that will delight enthusiasts, an all-in-one wireless music system that sounds so good you won’t believe your ears, and active noise-canceling headphones to fit almost any budget.
Ready for the hands-down best all-in-one soundbar you’ve ever heard? Or how about a light cannon that will project a massive image on your wall without you having to climb up on a ladder to install it on the ceiling? These are just two of the remarkable products that made our Top Picks list in recent weeks along with an alluring set of noise-canceling wireless earbuds and an exceptional sounding wireless speaker system. Read on as we celebrate the latest round of A/V riches.
Spring has been kind to us. We’ve had the opportunity to evaluate and recommend a number of interesting products in recent weeks. Among them, a streaming speaker guaranteed to rock your house, luxury headphones from an iconic high-end brand known for its top-shelf electronics, two terrific TVs — one OLED, one mini-LED — a “spatial audio” speaker you can balance in the palm of your hand, and more. Read on for a rundown of our latest Top Picks in just about every AV category.
We spotlight 13 products that made Sound & Vision’s Top Pick list over the past three months, starting with affordable noise-canceling earbuds from an unexpected source and ending with a super-refined speaker system for enthusiasts seeking the very best in music and movie reproduction. In between, you’ll find an eclectic mix of soundbars and speaker systems, affordable 4K TVs, and a home-theater amplifier that delivers an insane amount of power from a surprisingly compact chassis.